Death toll expected to rise as influenza spreads
The flu has hit epidemic proportions in the United States. In Georgia, four people are confirmed dead and more than 300 have been hospitalized with flu-related illness. The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) says those numbers are expected to rise.
The predominant strain of flu circulating in Georgia and around the country is influenza A (H3N2). It’s a strain that can be particularly hard on the very young, people over age 65, or those with existing medical conditions.
H3N2 is one of the strains contained in this year’s flu vaccine along with two or three others, depending on the vaccine.
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“It is not too late to get a flu shot,” says DPH Commissioner Dr. J. Patrick O’Neal. “Every individual over the age of six months should get a flu vaccine – not just for their own protection, but to protect others around them who may be more vulnerable to the flu and its complications.”
Nationwide, the flu has killed over 100 people including 20 children since flu season began on Oct. 1, 2017.
To learn more about influenza visit www.flu.gov.
